Of Fire and Brimstone
by TangiblyYours
Summary: "How 'bout this? If you help me successfully get a date with Kendall, I'll buy you a new iPod," Logan smirked. Between his defective iPod, construction workers, little black threads, and Logan, James is pretty sure that he's going to go insane. Slash.
1. Chapter 1

**Title: **Of Fire and Brimstone

**Summary: **"How 'bout this? If you help me _successfully _get a date with Kendall, I'll buy you a new iPod," Logan smirked. Between his defective iPod, construction workers that just won't allow him a full night of sleep, little black threads, & Logan, James is pretty sure he's going to go insane.**  
**

**Warnings: **Quite a bit of language and a healthy douse of violence. Really, it's all very mild, for the most part.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Big Time Rush, nor any of the characters involved. No copyright infringement intended.

* * *

The muffled sound of a door being slammed was just barely heard over the music that blasted through his headphones, and James felt himself falter for a moment. His eyebrows furrowed and his grasp around his blanket tightened just a little bit. He could faintly hear someone talking, not loudly enough for the words to be comprehensible over the flow of music, but there nonetheless.

James cursed softly, not wanting to pull the covers back from over his head, or leave the warmth that surrounded him so fully. He was tired and frustrated and _why_ couldn't anyone ever leave him alone for even twelve consecutive minutes? "Go away," he mumbled, not even bothering to remove the headphones from his ears or steal a glance at the person who had entered his bedroom.

Suddenly, the black comforter that had been draped over him was snatched back and he was left cringing as sunlight replaced the previous darkness. It took a long moment before his gaze could fully adjust to the rather abusive light, focus in on the silhouette of a person before him, and realize that, _somehow_, his music had inexplicably stopped playing. James frowned and poked cautiously at the small black iPod, as though expecting it to grow razor sharp fangs and lunge at him. How _curious_...

"James?"

"Yes, Logan?" James murmured, not even lifting his gaze to focus on the pair of brown eyes that were studying him intently. Once James was confident that his iPod wasn't demonic or possessed by some omnipotent force, he picked it up and shook it.

"I need your help," Logan said, not even remotely deterred by the fact that James was currently paying more attention to his iPod.

"Hmm." James' tone held no obvious interest in the discussion, and he simply continued to study his iPod carefully. After several long moments of poking and prodding, James found himself simply staring at the small device with a defiant glare and a single raised eyebrow, as though he was challenging it to continue defying him. How _dare _his iPod stop working! Didn't it know that James was going to inflict serious damage upon it if it didn't start working soon?

And after several more moments: "James?"

"Yes, Logan?" James repeated, as though they hadn't already had this conversation. However, this time, James lifted his gaze to Logan's, a soft smile easing its way onto his features and causing his hazel eyes to light up in the way that made them appear to be glowing. James' eyes only ever did that when he was around Logan, only ever _gleamed _when Logan smiled in that crooked way that made James' heart melt.

"Will you help me?" Logan said, and unbeknownst to him, his own eyes lit up as well.

"Sure," James beamed, not even bothering to ask what Logan need help with. James didn't _need_ to know, because he would help him regardless of the circumstances. It wasn't as though he could actually say _no _to the other boy when he was smiling like _that._ "With what?" he finally questioned, his gaze dropping to the iPod in his hand once more.

"Well," Logan started, a little hesitant. "We _all _know you're the most charismatic person I know, right?"

James hummed noncommittally, his attention once again consumed with poking at his music player in a futile attempt to elicit some form of response. If only iPods could talk, James thought, _then _he would know why it was refusing to obey him now. Such a stubborn little iPod.

"I was thinking...maybe you could help me, y'know...get a date with someone?"

James was listening, he _really _was, and that was why, when he actually heard the words, he could feel his stomach drop with something that almost felt a little like dread and...maybe just an ounce of disappointment. Pity him for thinking that Logan actually wanted to _talk _to him.

"Whaddya mean?" he cleared his throat, and his gaze stayed obstinately focused on the iPod, absolutely refusing to look up.

"Please don't make fun of me?" Logan said, sitting down on the edge of James' bed and tugging at a stray, black thread on the blanket that was still partially covering James. "I might have developed...somewhat of an interest...on someone we know," Logan paused for a moment, appearing thoughtful, "one of our _friends_."

James raised an eyebrow, only halfheartedly prodding his iPod now, refusing to succumb to the hope that was swelling up beneath his ribcage. He coughed lightly, trying to ease the pressure that was building in his chest, and swallowed back the lump that had caught in his throat. "Oh?" he prompted, desperately trying to sound casual and not particularly interested in what Logan's next few words were going to be.

A comfortable silence filled the room for the next few moments, and James hazarded a small glance at Logan to see if he was even still there. He was relieved when he realized that Logan hadn't just magically disappeared and left him suspended on the edge of a cliff, waiting for the drop to come—waiting for the adrenaline to receded.

"Logan?" he incited once more, and glanced up at Logan from beneath his eyelashes. Logan was perched on the edge of his mattress, tugging mercilessly at the black thread. His dark brown eyes were nearly black with an emotion that James simply couldn't decipher, and there appeared to be a faint blush edging up his neck and pooling in his cheeks.

The silence was suddenly deafening, and James could practically hear the blood rushing through his veins at a breakneck speed. Surely Logan couldn't actually _reciprocate _his feelings—

"Kendall," Logan whispered abruptly, cutting off James' train of thought. "It's Kendall."

It took a few moments for James to actually process Logan's words, and after they finally connected, it felt as though he had been doused in a bucket of ice cold water. Kendall. Of-fucking-course.

"Oh...right...of course." James felt a little off balance as he spoke, as though his point of equilibrium had been throw off completely. He could feel exasperation flooding through his muscles, building up deep in the core of his stomach. Being woken up at an ungodly hour because of construction directly outside his bedroom window, having his warm blankets forcefully removed from his body and, as such, _blinding_ him—probably beyond all repair—was enough to make James hide in his room for the rest of the day and refuse to come out. But this? Oh, _this_ was just the proverbial icing on the fucking cake.

"I mean, I'm not asking you to set us up or anything, y'know?" Logan had straightened up, his muscles tensing as he stared at James with chocolate brown eyes filled with desperate uncertainty; there was something almost a little naïve and adoring about the way he was watching him, as though he expected James to have all the answers to every question he could possibly ever come up with. There was something almost a little endearing about Logan's unrelenting faith in him, but James was too busy scowling to notice. "Just...I know how good you are with words, okay? You're charming, and trust me, I definitely _don't _want to inflate your ego any larger than it already is, but it's the truth."

Staring at the iPod in his hand, James wondered what Logan would do if he threw it at his head. It's not like he could get anymore use out of the music device anyway, and using it as a missile directed straight at Logan was a much better option than simply throwing it in the garbage can. Plus, it wasn't as though Logan would even see it coming—it would be completely unexpected, and James could use that to his advantage. Logan certainly wouldn't have time to shield himself from flying, demonically possessed iPods that refused to cooperate.

"James? Please?"

In that instant, James felt himself deflate completely—every defiant emotion spilling out from his body, every ounce of resistance going right along with it, and in its place was a weary resignation. After all, James could never say no to Logan.

Without responding, James returned his gaze to Logan's, focusing on the emotions that were swimming within the dark bands of his irises. The admiration was still there, a few other obscured emotions as well, just an ounce of impatience, and a whole lot of uncertainty—James couldn't help but smile.

"_Fine_," James said, drawing the word out in mock exasperation, even though exasperation was pretty close to what he was actually feeling. "I'll help you."

The relief that surged through Logan's body was nearly palpable, his eyes sparking with those obscured emotions that James still couldn't identify, no matter how hard he tried. His muscles slackened and he released a deep sigh, offering James a gratifying look. However, his expression changed in a matter of seconds, his gaze shifting to the iPod still held within James' hand. He appeared thoughtful, grinning crookedly. "How 'bout this? If you help me _successfully _get a date with Kendall...I'll buy you a new iPod." There was a slight lilt to Logan's voice, appreciation mixed with mischief, and his gaze seemed to burn with the unspoken challenge.

Logan offered his hand to James, his grin not faltering in the slightest as he waited for James' acceptance. He knew it would come. James could never turn down a challenge, after all.

With a wicked smirk, James grasped onto Logan's outstretched hand and shook it, sealing the deal, and trying to ignore the feelings of doubt that swam through the depths of his mind.

And, hey, there was a good chance he might get a new iPod out of this entire scheme. Preferably one that didn't have a rebellious streak. It was better than nothing, and certainly more than he had right now.

* * *

"_James_," Logan's tone was dangerously close to a whine, and James could feel an involuntary smirk pulling at the corners of his lips.

James was sitting on his bed with his dismembered iPod on display in front of him as though each individual component was a piece to a puzzle. However, no matter how many different ways James tried to put the pieces together, the results were always the same: a broken—and rather insubordinate—iPod. "You," James started, glaring at the screen menacingly, "are a music player. You are suppose to play my music. Why won't you obey me? _Ba-a-ad_."

"James!" Logan snapped from where he was spinning around on James' computer chair. He put his feet down to stop the movement and tried to scowl at James, but realized a little belatedly his head was spinning and he could barely managed to simply glance at the other boy. "Aren't you suppose to be helping me?"

It was a week after James had accepted Logan's challenge, and really, neither of them had gotten very far in their pursuits.

James glanced up at Logan from beneath his eyelashes, offering a small, sheepish smile. "Sorry, I just don't quite know how to approach this." In one swift move, he was sitting on the edge of his bed, facing Logan, with the pieces of his iPod strewn out behind him. He kicked his legs back and forth, hitting Logan's chair with the tips of his toes every time they went up. "I kinda still can't believe that you actually want to _date_ Kendall," James continued, laughing lightly to himself as he watched Logan's cheeks turn a faint crimson.

Logan glared. "You know, I kind of regret telling you now."

"Oh, c'mon, Logan, you know I'm just kidding."

"Yeah, well you're not helping me, so it's pointless."

James faltered for a moment, his legs going still against the bed as he stared down at the floor. For some unfathomable reason, James had thought that Logan had told him his secret because he actually trusted James enough—that he valued James' approval. Once again, he felt as though a bucket of cold water had been poured over top him, drenching him completely with the realization that his opinion really didn't matter in the slightest. It stung. Logan's opinion meant the world to James.

"That the only reason you told me?" James asked, scowling at the floor.

"Well, yeah," Logan said, his eyebrows pulling together in uncertainty. "Why else?"

"Ouch, okay, then." James cleared his throat and hid his vague sense of resentment behind an expressionless mask. "Let's get to work then."

"Wait." Logan watched James for a moment, studying his suddenly indifferent expression for some hint as to what just happened to cause the abrupt shift in the atmosphere. Everything was calm and lighthearted one minute, and then in the next, it was as though everything had turned professional and impersonal. There was very little trace left of the person who had just been talking to a dismembered iPod and kicking his legs back and forth like an energetic, young child. "What just happened?"

"What are you talking about?" James asked, his tone neutral, as he raised an eyebrow.

"Everything's different now, and you're being too serious."

James feigned a chuckle. "I really don't know what you're—"

"James. Seriously," Logan said, knowing something was clearly wrong. James had been one of his best friends for _years_ and, c'mon, they'd been living in the same apartment for almost nine months, sharing a bedroom for the entire duration of that time; Logan knew James better than he knew the back of his own hand. In fact, Logan thought he probably knew James better than he knew Carlos and even Kendall.

"It's nothing," James grounded out from between clenched teeth, tension obviously writhing and coiling through every muscle in his body.

"Tell me." Logan glared, James glared back, and really, the heat that existed between their two gazes was enough to ignite a thousand furious flames—Logan didn't really want to think about what might happen if this continued to escalate. Images of the both of them fighting desperately against one another formed in his mind. That happened much too often, and now was really not the time.

However, he was saved the immediate weariness as James seemed to suddenly deflate under Logan's demanding stare. "You don't trust me, do you? The only reason you told me was because you needed my help."

Logan felt a bit winded for a second, almost forgetting that he actually had a motive for glaring at James in the first, and it wasn't just the product of some overwhelming emotions getting the better of him. "Huh?"

James released a deep sigh, flipping backwards and lying back on his bed, staring up at the ceiling with a dark scowl. "_You_ don't trust _me._ How can I make the statement any clearer?"

"What do you _mean _I don't trust you? Of course I trust you!"

"You said that the only reason you told me was because you needed my help," James said, smirking rather viciously and appearing smug.

"Oh," Logan shrank, having his own words thrown back at him, and only just realizing how they had sounded. "That's definitely not what I meant."

"Oh?" James prompted, his smirk still quite condescending and malicious. Logan knew immediately that it was a defense mechanism, and nothing more. If James felt attacked, he would bristle and snap and fight back and do anything he possibly could to save face.

"I trust you, James, more than I trust anyone else obviously," Logan said, rolling his eyes.

In that instant, James' entire demeanor shifted, his muscles slackening and his expression going blank as he considered the response. Then he smiled, a little sheepishly at first, his eyes were gleaming, and the front that he had up was completely absent. There was something about the timid and mildly apologetic expression that had settled over James' features that caused something to stir beneath Logan's ribcage, a slight flutter of his heart, or something else as equally unexplainable. It was an unsettling feeling at first, different in a novel sort of way, but not entirely unpleasant.

"Sorry," James mumbled, staring at Logan from beneath his fringe, and it was so innocent and warm that, before he'd even realized it, he was smiling back at the other boy.

* * *

Another week later and, despite the fact that they'd spent several hours a day together, neither of them were even remotely closer to their end goals. James still didn't have an iPod, and Logan still hadn't gotten any closer to Kendall—if anything, he'd probably only managed to push the him further away, given the amount of time he was spending with James.

James and Logan were sitting on the orange couch in the living room, facing each other with their legs stretched out in front of them, pressed together from hip to ankle. James was watching Logan carefully with an easy smile, wrapping the cord of his headphones around his fingers. Logan, however, was reading; his book resting calmly in his lap as he stared down and read the words. It was a comfortable silence, and while both of them knew they should be coming up with plans or _something_, neither said a single word. There was something entirely too domestic about the entire scene, and James could feel warmth consume him at the thought. This was _easy_ and fucking perfect.

He could sit here with Logan for his entire life, he thought wistfully. Even if he did get bored, he could always provoke Logan into fighting with him, and that was always fun. There was not a single person on the entire planet that James would rather spar with; Logan was level-headed and considered his moves before acting, treating every action as though it was a chess strategy, and he was _swift_. James, on the other hand, was impulsive and reckless, acting purely on blind force. It was like they were personalized for each other, matching every move tit for fucking tat. And not just when they fought, if he wanted to be completely honest with himself. He supposed that was only one of the reasons he had fallen in love him the other boy.

James smirked at his thoughts, and returned his attention to his brunette friend at the opposite end of the couch. He moved his foot slightly, just enough to lift the flap of Logan's book and close it.

Logan lifted his head only a second later and watched James with a faint bit of amusement and exasperation. "Why?" he asked, smirking and moving his book to the coffee table before settling once again at James' side.

James chuckled. "You were boring me."

"Of course," Logan sighed, stifling a yawn. It was, after all, 12:30 in the morning. "Why are we even still awake in the first place?"

James rested his head against the couch and continued to watch his friend. "Because you clearly love me, and enjoy spending time with me, of course."

"Yeah, that's it," Logan said sarcastically, chuckling.

"I should be trying to fix my iPod."

Logan quirked an eyebrow. "I don't even know why you bother. I told you I'd buy a new one if you help me."

"No, you said you'd buy me a new one if I _successfully _help you. There's a difference," James said, bouncing his head lightly against the couch cushion.

"James Diamond," Logan looked truly scandalized, "are you doubting your charismatic skills and ability to charm? I never thought I'd see the day."

"Asshole," James said, grinning despite himself. "It's different when I'm telling other people how to act, you know."

Logan laughed. "I have faith in you."

And James beamed.

* * *

It sounded like someone was throwing a fucking _wrecking ball _through his bedroom window. And really? This had been going on for a little over two weeks now; if James didn't get a solid eight hours of sleep soon, he would going to end up throttling the construction workers with the very jackhammer they were currently using directly below his bedroom window.

He didn't even have his iPod to drown out the noise anymore. Life was rather cruel to him, lately.

Growling softly, James buried his face into his pillow, trying to cover his ears with the warm fabric and suppress the relentless noise. He pulled his dark blanket over his head, doing anything he could possibly think of to stifle the sounds, to just _make it stop already_, because it was 6:30 in the morning, and he was tired.

Suddenly, and almost reminiscent of two weeks prior, his blankets were forcefully torn from his grasp and he was left staring up at the silhouette of Logan. He blinked and squinted his eyes against the sunlight that was just barely beginning to peek above the horizon, filling their bedroom with varying shades of deep reds and oranges. Unsurprisingly, the L.A. sun was blinding even at dawn.

Logan rubbed his eyes and stared down at James. His hair was tousled and sticking up in several different directions, his eyes were slightly red and blood shot, and there was a frown pulling at the corners of his lips. Almost immediately, James realized that, _of course_, Logan wouldn't be able to sleep either.

James sighed and offered Logan a sympathetic glance, realizing a little belatedly that he probably looked just as worn out as his friend did, and not really bothering to care at this moment.

"I miss my iPod," James complained after several long seconds of silence between the two of them. Rather than empathizing with James' obvious loss, Logan simply quirked his eyebrow, chuckled, and hit James upside the head with the pillow he had clutched within his hand.

"Let's go see if we can sleep in Carlos and Kendall's room."

James tugged at the black thread of his blanket, remembering two weeks ago when Logan had done the same. "They only have two beds..."

"Well, we'll figure it out...I'm _tired_. And this is ridiculous."

Both James and Logan crept slowly down the hallway toward theirs friends' combined bedroom, trying to remain as quiet as possible so as to not wake up Katie or Mama Knight. The construction could still be heard, but it wasn't as loud and obnoxious as it had been in their bedroom—of _course_ they were lucky enough to have the room that was closest to the outdoors.

James stepped down and the floorboard beneath his feet creaked ever so slightly, causing him to hiss and glared at the offending piece of wood. How _dare_ it creak so loudly when James was trying to be quiet!

When Logan saw James scowling at the floorboard, he couldn't help but chuckle at the way his friend seemed to challenge almost anything that went against him—living or otherwise. After a few more moments, they gently pushed the door to Carlos and Kendall's room open, creeping inside and shutting it once more. As they stood in the center of the dark bedroom, James faltered, not quite sure how to handle this situation, but refusing to leave and return to their bright and noisy excuse for a sleeping environment.

"_Ca-ar-los_," Logan hissed suddenly, approaching his friend's bed and shaking him gently. Apparently Logan was loud enough to not only wake up Carlos, but Kendall as well. Good, James thought, if the rest of them were awake, Kendall could be awake as well. And there was absolutely no resentment in that thought; no, _none at all_.

"What are you guys doing?" Kendall asked, his eyebrows pulling together as he took in the sight before him. Carlos was still half-asleep, barely coherent enough to realize that Logan was _still _shaking him.

"We have to sleep in here," James tried, sounding just a bit desperate. "It's too loud in our room—"

"—and we haven't gotten eight consecutive hours of sleep in over two weeks," Logan finished for him, trying to hold Carlos up in attempt to rouse him further. It seemed rather hopeless, if James wanted to be completely honest, and he couldn't help but grin.

Kendall sighed and ran a hand through his hair, studying the scene for several long moments. "Fine, I guess we'll have to share beds until they're finished with the construction."

James nearly sighed in relief_._

"Okay," Logan mumbled, smiling as Carlos finally opened his eyes. "How are we going to do this then?"

Kendall flopped back down on his mattress, staring up at the ceiling with an ambiguous grin. There was something about the way his eyes seemed to gleam with mischief, almost as though he _knew_ something that no one else seemed to know. The light green band of his irises was positively glowing with it, and James desperately wanted to know what was going through his friend's mind.

Then James realized that there was a decent chance that Logan and Kendall would be sharing a bed and sleeping next to one another. Was Kendall aware of that possibly? Was that why he seemed to be radiating an emotion that could only be called satisfaction and approval, staring at James with a smug expression. Did he fucking _know_?

James just barely resisted the urge to growl.

"I don't care," Kendall murmured noncommittally, his gaze still focused on James' hazel eyes. There was a challenge buried within those light green irises, something all-knowing and a little disconcerting, and James simply couldn't understand it. It was almost as though Kendall was urging him—provoking him into action—but James couldn't figure out the motive or the purpose or the direction of where Kendall was pushing him in the first place. Oh, the challenge was there alright, but James didn't exactly know what the challenge was.

Those intense green eyes seemed to be burning straight through James' defenses, seeing each emotion for what it was worth, and James had an odd feeling that Kendall knew even more than he had initially suspected. As though he had set up some elaborate plan and was just watching it unfold before his very eyes, enjoying the sight of his victims being tortured. His grin was dark and wicked.

"Well," Logan started after a moment of silence. "I'll share a bed with James, and you and Carlos can share." Logan's eyebrows were furrowed in concentration, pausing to consider his words. "It makes sense since we already share bedrooms, y'know?" He added quickly, as though trying to justify his decision and explain himself for choosing to sleep with James rather than Carlos or Kendall.

James simply stared at his friend, completely perplexed by his choice. If anything, James had been almost one-hundred percent certain that Logan would have chose to sleep with Kendall. He _liked _Kendall, and that would be reason enough to share a bed with the other boy, and here Logan had been given the _perfect _opportunity, and he'd opted instead to sleep with James.

All of this was making his head spin, and James could feel his blood rushing through his veins, pooling in the center of his chest like a sphere of fire and ash. Kendall was acting suspiciously pleased with himself, Logan was making unexpected decisions, and Carlos...well, James was pretty sure that Carlos was sleeping again.

In the next moment, Logan turned to face Carlos once more and shook him a little more roughly. "Go to Kendall's bed," he growled, trying desperately to elicit a response.

Without even acknowledging anyone in the room, Carlos quietly walked over to Kendall's bed and dropped down, nearly collapsing on his friend in the process. Kendall simply chuckled and shoved him lightly, before returning his attention to the James and Logan. "Okay, then. Until the construction's over, you and James will share Carlos' bed," he said, smiling viciously.

James nodded silently and turned to crawl in the bed. He was entirely too tired to deal with this at the moment; his mind was desperately trying to catch up with everything that was happening around him, trying to process all of these puzzle pieces that just didn't fucking fit at all.

Logan curled up beside him, a little closer than necessary, but James really wasn't complaining. In fact, he was quite content to be lying here next to Logan, feeling the warmth that pierced through their clothing and made him feel as though he was closer to Logan than he actually was. It was pleasant, and James found himself wishing that the construction would continue to go on for several months.

James glanced across the room once more, just barely catching a glimpse of Kendall's bright green eyes, still glowing with something inexplicable and foreign. He just smirked and turned to face the wall, leaving James feeling lost a just a little bit vulnerable. What the actual _fuck_?

Oh, well. There was nothing James could do about it right now, he thought a little morosely. He was tired, his surroundings were uncharacteristically dark and quiet, and he had a warm body pressed against his side. In fact, there was very little he _wanted _to do about it—everything was quite fine as it was, really.

With a contented sigh, James slept.

* * *

**Author's Note:** So, it's been a while since I've posted anything. However, I have been writing quite a bit. This story will be broken down into three parts, and it currently stands at around 13,000 words. There's only one more scene that I need to decide on and add before it's complete. I've had this idea for a while now, but it seems to have developed into something beyond my control. It can be seen as a potential prequel to another story I have posted, _Behind Closed Doors_, however, both stories stand alone. You do not have to read one to understand the other.

Other than this, I've been working on another Big Time Rush story, as well (which is currently around 5,000 words, and not even close to being finished). I don't know when or if it will ever get completed and posted, but I definitely hope it will.

And once again, thank you so, so much to everyone who has been reading and/or reviewing any of the stories I have posted. Your encouragement means the world to me. :)

So what are your thoughts on this idea? What do you think will happen next? Thoughts, opinions, predictions? :)**  
**


	2. Chapter 2

**Title: **Of Fire and Brimstone

**Summary: **"How 'bout this? If you help me _successfully _get a date with Kendall, I'll buy you a new iPod," Logan smirked. Between his defective iPod, construction workers that just won't allow him a full night of sleep, little black threads, and Logan, James is pretty sure he's going to go insane.

**Warnings: **Quite a bit of language and a healthy douse of violence. Really, it's all very mild, for the most part.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Big Time Rush, nor any of the characters involved. No copyright infringement intended.

* * *

"Why'd you do that?"

Logan stared at James for a moment, blinking once, twice, before a slight frown pulled at the corners of his lips. There was something undeniably appealing about the sight—the sheer skepticism—but James couldn't really be bothered to notice that the moment; he was too _curious._

"Do what?" Logan asked, scratching the back of his neck.

"Well, you had the perfect opportunity to get close to Kendall, and you ignored it."

"_Oh_," Logan said, smiling as he finally realized what James was referring to. "I'm not sure. Sharing a bed with someone seems...intimate."

James was almost positive that his expression went completely blank—perhaps his eyes had gone a little distant, and his jaw had slackened slightly, because honestly, he didn't quite know what to make of Logan's statement. There was a level of conviction in Logan's tone, something so undeniably sure, that caused a shudder to travel up James' spine. After several long moments, James finally returned to reality, shaking his head to clear his thoughts and raising a single eyebrow at his friend. "So you're saying you'd rather share a bed with me then?"

Logan suddenly seemed to realize what he had implied and appeared a little taken aback, as though the thought hadn't even registered in his mind. It was almost as though choosing to sleep with James was an instinctive decision made without very much consideration as to _why_. "I guess I hadn't really thought of that? It just seemed...normal."

"Sleeping with me is normal," James said blankly, blinking once. "Okay. Right. We'll go with that then."

And that was when Logan grinned, wide and easy as though it was a product of their conversation and how simple the two of them got along. There was something warm about his smile, and James could feel his heartbeat speed up just slightly beneath his ribcage.

"So what're we doin' today?" Logan asked, spinning around in his chair. They were in the living room, at the small table that divided the kitchen and sitting area into two different sections. James stood opposite of him, on the other side of the counter where he relentlessly kicked at the juncture where the floor met the base of the partition. It was quiet in the apartment, everyone either down in the lobby or pool area, taking advantage of the time they had off.

"Don't care," James murmured, still considering their previous discussion and the peculiarity of it all. The entire situation made about as much as sense as his wayward iPod did—the fucking thing still wouldn't work. As he thought about it, he pulled the device out from his pocket it and placed it gently on the table, staring at it with a calculating glare. "Let's go to Apple!" he said suddenly.

"Why don't you listen?" Logan said, sighing in exasperation. "I'll buy you a new one for fuck's sake. I've told you this twice now—"

"—if I succeed," James cut in. "How long's that gonna take? 'Cause I still can't even figure out how to handle this." James' eyes were glowing with amusement for the moment, a smirk lifting the corner of his lips. "You want to date _Kendall_. Freak."

"Ouch," Logan hissed in mock pain. "Your words sting me, James."

James spun his iPod around on the counter, laughing quietly at Logan's statement. It was easy to play around and tease each other..._familiar_.

"Well, okay. Then let's think about this," Logan said, tone serious for the first time in several moments. "What's the first thing you do when you're interested in someone?"

It took a moment for the question to actually sink in; for James to actually realize that, _yes_, they were actually going to breach this topic, and he was going to have to give Logan—_his_ Logan—advice on how to get together with someone who clearly was not him. He swallowed hard, processed the question, and glanced up. His gaze settled on the dark band of irises in front of him, and it suddenly felt as though he was completely see through to those eyes. There was something distinctly unnerving about the thought, and James tried to break the eye contact, but he was inexplicably stuck. He couldn't look away.

"Spend time with them," he whispered softly, trying not to notice how true that statement actually was, and how it applied so perfectly to the situation he was currently in. Perhaps all along he had been subconsciously hoping that Logan would realize James had been there along, standing right in front of him with a blaring neon sign that said 'pick _me_'. That, just maybe, Logan would change his mind, develop feelings for _him_, and this entire plot would be lost and forgotten about.

"Right," Logan returned, not even remotely aware that James seemed to be unraveling right before his very eyes. It wasn't obvious, and really, Logan could be quite oblivious at times. "Everyday. I see him everyday. The only person I spend more time with is you. So that's done then, right?" He glanced up at James, eyes hopeful. "Then what?"

James was still trying to get passed '_I spend more time with you_', and Logan's question didn't even fully register. He blinked once, his eyes slightly glazed over as he said, "what?"

"After spending time with the person...what next?"

James swallowed hard. "Well, I don't know...it usually just progresses from there," he paused, for a moment, thinking. "I've never been interested in one of my best friends, you know."

The lie slid right through his teeth before he could even consider it fully, and it left a bitter aftertaste in his mouth. It was almost as though, in that moment, James really understood what was happening, and he could feel his heart dropping into the pit of his stomach. The one person he cared most about was interested in someone else, and James was _helping_ him. It was idiotic. It was selfless. It was putting someone else's needs before his own. And it was everything that James would never be for anyone other than Logan.

Logan laughed softly at James' words, "okay, yeah, I guess you're right...well, what would you do if you were though?"

James quirk an eyebrow, and shook his head to clear the thoughts from his head. He couldn't deal with them at the moment. "If I was in love with one of you guys?" The statement was _almost_ ironic.

"_Interested_," Logan stressed. "I'm not in love with him."

For the first time since this entire ploy started, James felt his heart lift slightly with that familiar sense of hope. "Right," James said, waving his hand in a dismissive gesture. "Well...I'd definitely spend more time with whoever I was interested in."

"You already said that."

"Yeah, well...you're spending more time with me than him," James said, raising an eyebrow, his hazel eyes sparking with something that resembled mischief. "Might get the wrong impression, y'know?"

James leaned forward on the counter, his forearms propped up on the surface as he grinned at the boy in front of him. He knew that his words held a mild risk—that Logan might just take the statement to heart and stop spending time with him—but James couldn't help but tease him. It was much too entertaining a thought to pass up.

"Oh, really?" Logan returned, grinning. "Yeah? Well, maybe I should stop hangin' out with you so much."

James sighed in mock exasperation. "Can't be done. I'm much too charming."

"Yeah," Logan laughed, his hands clutching the the edge of the counter as he leaned back in his chair. It was nice to see Logan so calm and uninhibited, nothing but warm laughter and bright, beaming smiles that seemed to light up the entire room. However, James was truly frightened that his friend was on the verge of flipping backwards in his seat.

In the spur of the moment, James reached across the counter top and allowed his hand to close around Logan's wrist, almost as though he could hold him in place. Fire kindled slightly beneath James' palm, a warmth that he'd grown used to over the many months that he had spent in close proximity to Logan. The boy was a fucking furnace, James was sure of it.

It took several long moments for James to realize that Logan has stopped laughing, and more importantly, stopped leaning back in his seat. Instead, he was completely still, his brown eyes focused on that hand that encircled his wrist.

Just as James was about to apologize and pull his hand back, the front door opened, and Kendall and Carlos walked in. They were both in their swimming truck, towels draped over the back of their necks and water dripping off from them and onto the floor.

"Hiya, boys," Kendall said in that animated tone he always seemed to have. There was a moment where his gaze focused in on the hand that was still wrapped around Logan's wrist, and he narrowed his eyes. It was a thoughtful expression that had settled over his features, and James couldn't read it for the life of him. James pulled his hand back slowly.

The expression was gone in a flash, and his smirk was back in place—warm and bright and almost a bit condescending, which confused James terribly.

Both Carlos and Kendall were gone as quickly as they had arrived, exiting down the hallway toward their combined bedroom, and shaking the water out of their hair in the process. They successfully soaked everything around them, which regrettably included both James and Logan.

It was only then that he realized Logan was still staring at where his hand had been on his wrist.

* * *

It was 3:14 in the morning, and James was almost certain that he was never going to fall asleep—there was simply too much on his mind.

His iPod was demonic, and James was almost certain that it had a personal vendetta against him for some unfathomable reason. He'd always treated it nicely. Never threw it at any walls. Well, okay, maybe once or twice, but really, that couldn't be helped. He wished he could listen to his iPod right now, and maybe he would be distracted from the fact that Logan was curled up next to him, sound asleep.

That was another problem. Logan.

James simply couldn't figure out what it was, but there was something that just wouldn't add up in this nicely developed equation that had been created over the past few weeks.

Earlier that afternoon when Kendall and Carlos had walked in, soaking wet, and wearing nothing but swimming trunks, James was presented with an entirely new thought. Logan was impervious, it seemed, and James was utterly lost.

Maybe he just didn't understand, but it seemed like Logan should have been at least remotely interested in the fact that Kendall had just walked in wearing nothing but shorts. However, he hadn't even spared a glance. His gaze was stuck on where James had been gently grasping his wrist, and really, that made no sense at all.

It was kind of like with the sleeping arrangement thing. Logan chose him over Kendall.

And there was the final problem. Kendall.

James just couldn't figure him out either. The lingering glances that Kendall sent him were almost as unbearable as they were unreadable. It was as though his friend _knew_ something, but he couldn't exactly figure out whether it was good or bad—James wasn't really sure he wanted to know quite yet.

His head hurt from thinking so much. And he was pretty sure that he needed to start hanging out with Carlos more often, because that certainly seemed so much less complicated than dealing with this.

He sighed softly and pulled the blanket closer. _His _blanket that he had brought in from his bedroom. It was a comfort among all of the mayhem that surrounded him constantly. With it, he could pretend that he was lying in his own bed, months before the construction started, before this entire scheme with Logan, and before his iPod was possessed by a malevolent, music-hating demon.

And, really? It would have been so much easier to pretend if his iPod was working. It was as though his thoughts were caught in a constant spiral of all the same things over and over again. James scowled and tugged on the wayward black thread that he'd been playing with for the last few hours. It made him think of Logan.

He sighed softly, and closed his eyes for approximately the two-hundredth time that night, waiting for sleep to claim him. It was then that he felt a warm arm snake around his waist, tightening around his side and pulling him just a fraction of an inch closer. He held his breath, too afraid to make any sudden movements as Logan curled up closer against his side.

Logan shifted so that his head was resting on James' shoulder, his face nearly buried into the crook of his neck. After several long moments, James sighed and relaxed. Instinctively, he lifted his arm to encircle Logan's shoulders, embracing the warmth before he was even aware that he had moved. It was almost a little surreal, realizing how absolutely surrounded the both of them were by the shared blanket. James decided not to think too heavily on the subject. He was tired of thinking.

And maybe he was over-thinking everything, anyways. Surely there was a perfectly good explanation as to why Logan was curled up against his side. Maybe he thought James was Kendall.

James chuckled darkly and closed his eyes, allowing the warmth to lull him into a deep sleep.

He never even heard Logan whisper his name.

* * *

It was 8:15 in the morning, and James was staring morosely into his bowl of Cocoa Puffs. He was fucking tired, and he had one hell of a headache that only seemed to worsen as everyone around him kept slamming doors and cabinets. He was beginning to think that everyone and everything—inanimate or otherwise—was out to make his life a living hell.

He cringed as the construction outside elevated to apocalyptic levels. He wondered what the workers would do if he opened the window and threw the ceramic bowl of cereal at their heads. It probably wouldn't do much damage. They wore helmets.

He sighed softly and tried to force himself to relax just as Carlos entered the kitchen and sat beside him at the table.

"You look like hell," Carlos stated with a grin that completely contradicted the seriousness of his statement.

"Yeah, well," was all he said in terms of an explanation. Carlos was one of his best friends, but it was early, and he really didn't feel like delving into the thoughts that had kept him up half of the night.

Carlos simply nodded and seemed to understand the silence for what it was worth. They ate for a while in a companionable silence that James was beginning to appreciate quite a bit. It was almost as though Carlos _knew_ that James couldn't deal with their normal hyper-active, animated behavior, and respected it by remaining as quiet as James was being. As though he knew James' head was absolutely _throbbing._

However, the silence was ruined shortly after as Kendall and Logan simultaneously entered the room, the door slamming against the wall. James recoiled away from the sound, his eyes clenching shut against the sudden burst of pain in his skull.

"Uh, guys?" Carlos started, his gaze cautiously shifting to James. "Maybe, be quiet?"

They ignored him.

They were laughing and fooling around, Kendall shoving Logan slightly and Logan bumping back into Kendall. It was loud and irritating and _why _couldn't they ever be even remotely considerate? Wasn't James suppose to be insensitive one? The one who was never selfless and always thought of himself before everyone else? And here it seemed as though the tables had turned one-hundred and eighty degrees. He was the one putting his own feelings aside to help someone who couldn't even realize that James was having a bad day and just wanted a little bit of silence.

And, suddenly, he hated Logan.

He hated him for getting his hopes up on the first day when Logan mentioned that he was interested in one of his friends, and then immediately pulling the proverbial rug right out from beneath his feet. James hated him for putting him in this position in the first place, having to decide between his own feelings and Logan's happiness. He hated his iPod, he hated construction workers, and he hated little black threads that hung off his blanket and just begged to be pulled on.

"Will you both just fucking shut up, alright?" he snapped finally, glaring up at them from beneath his fringe.

Kendall's eyes widened, but he said nothing. He simply shared a mildly concerned glance with Carlos and sat down next to him, as though trying to avoid the tension that was suddenly building in the air.

Logan, however, turned to face James with a dark scowl, something so lethal and venomous that James almost—_almost—_faltered. "What?" he growled.

"I said shut the fuck up. I have a headache." James knew this wasn't so much about the fact that he had a headache, nor was it about Logan being loud. It was about the pressure that had been building from day one finally reaching the point of no return, and James was _pissed._

Logan's glare darkened as he watched James. "That's not my fault. Don't take it out on me."

"You're being _loud_," James said, scowling. "And inconsiderate."

"We all live here, James. We're not just going to whisper to accommodate you, so if your head hurts _that _badly, just go lay down or something."

"Are you kidding me right now?" James seethed, barely containing that anger that was rippling through him at a breakneck speed. "After all I've done for _you _lately, and you won't even be a little quiet? What the hell is that?"

Logan looked a little panicked for a moment, his gaze shifting to Kendall before settling once more on James. His eyes appeared a little frenzied and desperate, but he tried to maintain his outward calm. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said. "You haven't done anything for me lately."

There was a moment of silence as James just stared at Logan, his eyes wide and his jaw hanging a little slack. He couldn't believe this. And, sure, maybe Logan was only saying that because Kendall was in the room, but it was in the way that he absolutely _dismissed _James, like he didn't even matter. Saving face was more important to Logan than James' feelings.

James deflated beneath the weight of that implication, every ounce of anger leaving his body with nothing more than a cold, bitter resentment left in its wake. He couldn't do this anymore—any of it.

"Fuck you, and fuck your problem, I don't care anymore," James said, tone neutral. "I'm _done._"

With that, he stood from the table and left the room, heading down the hallway toward Carlos and Kendall's bedroom.

He slammed the door loudly, and tried to ignore the irony as he did so.

* * *

**Author's Note: **I apologize that this chapter is just a bit shorter than the first one...reading through the draft, this was the absolute best place for me to stop it. Once again, this story can be seen as a prequel to another story I have posted on this website, _Behind Closed Doors_. However, you do not _need_ to read one to understand the other.

Thank you for all the lovely feedback! :)

Any ideas about what's coming up? Thoughts, opinions, speculations? I would love to hear what you think so far! :D


	3. Chapter 3

**Title: **Of Fire and Brimstone

**Summary: **"How 'bout this? If you help me _successfully _get a date with Kendall, I'll buy you a new iPod," Logan smirked. Between his defective iPod, construction workers that just won't allow him a full night of sleep, little black threads, and Logan, James is pretty sure he's going to go insane.

**Warnings: **Quite a bit of language and a healthy douse of violence. Really, it's all very mild, for the most part.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Big Time Rush, nor any of the characters involved. No copyright infringement intended.

* * *

It was a week after they'd fought and they still hadn't said a single word to each other. James was too angry to acknowledge Logan's existence, and Logan was too confused about why James reacted so drastically to really address the issue.

James slept with Carlos; Logan slept with Kendall.

There was a tension that constantly filled the atmosphere, no matter where any of them were. Carlos and Kendall avoid it completely, deciding that it wasn't their place to intervene, hoping that it would work itself out as time passed. James, however, just avoided Logan.

Rather than talking about it, James pretended that the problem—and Logan—didn't exist. It was disconcerting, and Logan felt the guilt and disappointment straight through to the very core of his being. He honestly hadn't meant to upset James so much; he was used to the two of them fighting often about trivial things such as being too loud or whose turn it was to choose the movie they would watch. Most of the time, it started with them arguing and either ended with them laughing or rolling around on the floor in a mess of kicks and punches.

Even if their fights escalated to levels where they were physically attacking one another, they never _really _hurt each other—with words or otherwise. Logan saw that he had hurt James, but he just didn't understand _how. _In fact, their fight had been mild compared to some of their previous ones, so he was absolutely lost on what had happened.

And, really, he was too afraid to approach the problem—not that he was ever given the opportunity in the first place. James was avoiding him in such a painfully obvious way that Logan could feel a twinge in the pit of his stomach every time James turned away from him.

He wished he knew what he'd done wrong. The guilt was nearly crippling and he didn't even know what he was feeling guilty about. And, really, he wished James would just punch him or something, because he was pretty sure that he deserved it.

He sighed softly and leaned back in his chair.

It was then that Kendall walked into the room with two jackets in his hand, one for him and one for Logan. "C'mon," he said, handing Logan one of the jackets. "Let's go get something to eat, okay?"

Logan simply released another sigh and nodded. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he realized that this was the perfect opportunity to get closer to Kendall, but he didn't really pay much notice. He was too concerned about James.

They ended up picking up take-out from some fast food place a few block down, and driving out a little ways out into the country. It was nice out, blue skies with a few white clouds, and a decent temperature. The light breeze made it seem a little colder than it really was, especially out in the country where there were no tall building or overly large trees to block it. They walked for a while in silence before Kendall paused, turning to face Logan.

"What's going on with you and James?" he asked quietly, carefully, as though anxious about breaching the subject.

"Nothing." Logan scowled and tilted his head up to look at the sky.

"Right. Okay," Kendall said sarcastically, clearly growing more agitated as time continued to pass. "Knock it off and tell me what happened."

Logan released a deep sigh and abruptly sat down on the grassy hill that they had been walking on. He knew suddenly that he was going to tell Kendall about everything, despite the fact that it would include admitting his feelings. However, Kendall was one of his best friends, who he could trust with his life, and really? Logan was pretty sure that he didn't have any feelings whatsoever for Kendall anymore—he wasn't really sure he ever did in the first place. "Fine. Sit down then, because this is going to take awhile."

Kendall did as he was told, sitting directly in front of Logan with his legs crossed.

"Okay, so I was interested in someone, and asked James to help me, right? That's where it all started."

"Okay?" Kendall drew the word out into a question, raising a single eyebrow. "Who were you interested?"

Logan sighed in exasperation and stared up at the sky. He couldn't even find it within himself to be embarrassed about admitting it anymore. He couldn't figure out what had changed, but the mere idea of him being interested in Kendall seemed almost a little odd now. It was inexplicable, but the more he thought about it, the more platonic his feelings were.

"You," Logan said in an uninterested tone, waving his hand dismissively. It was almost a little ironic that he had spend so many hours worrying about this moment, afraid of how it would play out, trying to think of the best way to the present it, and now he couldn't care less.

Kendall raised his eyebrows and watched Logan for a moment with an uncertain expression. "Really, now?" he finally said after several long moments. Logan just continued to look bored.

"Yeah," he said, smirking. "Not anymore though—no offense or anything. I don't even know if I was ever _actually_ interested, y'know? I don't really understand it," he paused for a moment, thinking. "I thought I was, but then James got mad at me, and now all I can think about is— " Logan broke off, glancing out towards east to avoid Kendall's curious gaze. "He was the one helping me figure everything out, y'know? He was always right there."

"You're so fucking complicated," Kendall said flatly, chuckling.

Logan laughed. "Yeah, basically...but this? I don't know how to handle this. I don't understand _any_ of it. And I don't even know what I did to piss him off so much." Logan's brown eyes gleamed as they focused on Kendall. "Who knows, maybe after I figure everything out with him, I'll go back to being interested in you, or whatever the hell I thought I was, and I'll be back at the beginning of this entire mess all over again," Logan joked, with a short laugh.

"Yeah, you know, I really doubt that," Kendall paused, grinning. "You know I'm not gay, right? And even if I was, I would never date you."

At first, Logan thought he was kidding about that last part, but then he realized that Kendall's grin had faded—that he was completely serious. It only took a moment for Logan to bristle slightly and scowl at his friend. "What the hell is that suppose to mean? Why not?"

Kendall shook his head. "Because I wouldn't do that to James."

It took several moments for Logan to process the words, and he could feel himself frowning involuntarily. He certainly hadn't expected that response, and he deflated slightly under the uncertainty that it instilled within him. He wasn't sure what to make of it, and the tone of Kendall's voice was filled with blatant remorse and sympathy.

"Do what to James, exactly?" Logan found himself asking, his eyebrows drawn together in confusion as he studied his friend. It felt as though he was about to hear something big, and Logan couldn't control the anticipation that was coiling through his body.

Kendall looked up at him, met his gaze and held it for several long moments. The weight of the something unknown was bearing down on Logan suddenly, and Kendall's gaze was absolutely fierce with solemnity. "Take you away from him."

It took a while for the words to actually penetrate his thoughts and connect, and Logan could actually imagine himself staring at Kendall with a completely blank expression. Because surely Kendall couldn't _actually _be serious. He couldn't possibly be implying that James was...it was unbelievable. It was implausible. And it made so much fucking sense now that Logan really thought about it.

It explained James' initial reluctance that Logan had witnessed the first moment that he had asked for help. It explained all of his childish behavior and the way that he never really knew what to say. More importantly, it explained _why _James was so angry.

With a slight gasp, images from the past nine months swept into Logan's mind. The way James would watch him occasionally when he thought that Logan wouldn't notice, or the way that James would provoke him into a fight that ended with both of them rolling around on the floor, shoving and hitting. Or how when they _were _fighting, James would sometimes tense up and falter for a moment, his gaze catching on Logan's eyes, almost as though he was realizing how close they _really_ were.

Logan swallowed hard and blinked, trying to subdue that blood-rush to his head and tame the images that assaulted him so unrelentingly.

And then, almost as involuntary as the onslaught of memories, the cogs in Logan's mind started twisting and turning, and he just couldn't stop thinking. Because _now_ everything made so much more sense. Why there seemed to be so much more heat when he wrestled with James than when he wrestled with Kendall or Carlos. Instead of hitting and throwing punches with the motivation of hurting the other person, it had always been about the sheer contact and gaining dominance. Never about hurting. And, if for one second, either of them genuinely thought they had hurt the other...the fighting would cease.

So, somehow, it was never about fighting. It was about contact and heat and indulgence and _James._

It wasn't just with fighting either—it was with everything either of them ever did. Constantly touching, arms or knuckles brushing against each other, an innocuous arm thrown over a shoulder, one leg pressed against another. Or one of them curling up against the other as they slept. It all made so much fucking sense.

He thought his head might actually explode from the intensity of his realization, that it was always—_always—_about James. He had never been interested in Kendall. No, he had just been looking for some fucking excuse to spend time with the one person he _actually_ did want. For someone so smart, Logan thought he could be pretty oblivious at times.

Logan blinked, desperately trying to clear his thoughts. It took him a moment to realize that he was still sitting on the side of a grassy hill with Kendall watching him thoughtfully. "Oh," he said blankly, still trying to grasp hold of reality. "_Oh._"

Kendall blinked and continued to study him. "You kind of look a little disoriented."

Logan shook his head and focused his gaze on Kendall for the first time in several moments. His eyes narrowed and he found himself scowling at his friend. "Well, what the fuck do you expect? You just told me that James...James—"

"—loves you?" Kendall offered helpfully, grinning as Logan's glare darkened. He paused a moment before continuing, "I told you that you weren't interested in me."

"You definitely never said that."

"Well, you said that you might change you mind again, and I said it was unlikely. You're about as transparent as they come, and you're clearly in love—"

"Hey. Asshole. Who said that I reciprocated James' feelings?" Logan's eyes narrowed further, as though challenging Kendall. He vaguely wondered whether Kendall would take the bait. He knew that James would have if he were here—if he was the one that Logan was talking to, right now. James would demand that he was right and that Logan was wrong, and it would probably end with them fighting. Logan grinned at the thought.

Kendall faltered, glancing at Logan as though studying him once more and expecting to find all the answers hidden within his brown eyes. "Well, do you?"

Logan laughed. Yeah, James was definitely a better match for him. Kendall backed down way too easy.

"Well?" Kendall prompted once more.

"Hey, I'm not about to profess my sudden and undying love for James, okay? No more chick flick moments," Logan said with a smirk.

Kendall simply grinned and threw a handful of grass at him. "Well, fuck you very much. See when I get for inciting life-altering revelations? No thanks whatsoever."

The rest of their afternoon was spent laughing and joking, with Logan thinking incessantly about his short-tempered best friend with the broken iPod and a warm smile.

* * *

Deep down, Logan knew exactly how this was going to play out. When he was driving home that afternoon with Kendall, his emotions had grown and developed into something fierce and untamed. By the time they got home, the pupils of his eyes were dilated with fervor, his heart was beating rapidly with anticipation, and adrenaline was spiking through his bloodstream at steady intervals.

When he finally walked through the door of apartment 2J, he thought he was on the verge of exploding.

And as he slammed into Carlos and Kendall's bedroom to find James sitting atop one of the beds, Logan could feel every nerve-ending in his body sizzle.

He wasn't angry, although he was quite sure that that was how it appeared to everyone who saw him storm through the apartment looking for James. He was simply being burned from the inside out by emotions that colored every end of the spectrum, a steady strum of heat coiling its way though his body. It was the sensation that had often ignited fights with James in the past.

Only before, it had been a nameless provocation. Now, however, he could identify it for what it was worth: pure, unadulterated _want_.

James glanced up from where he had been staring at his iPod, only now his eyes darkened with emotion, becoming fierce and unbridled. He didn't say a single word, just stared at Logan as though _daring _him to say something and trying to convey what a mistake that would actually be. This was how they played; this was familiar.

"You fucking love me," Logan said, grinning condescendingly as the spark in his eyes exploded.

James appeared to falter for a moment, his eyes widening and uncertainty filling his hazel irises. It was gone in a flash, and James' expression was guarded once more, but Logan had caught the hesitation—he had seen the chink in James' armor. He grinned wider.

"_What?_" James hissed, actually speaking to Logan for the first time in over a week, and really, the action itself spoke volumes. Suddenly, however, James relaxed, adopting a calm and composed expression.

Logan leaned against the wooden panel that lined the doorway, folding his arms across his chest. "You heard me."

At that, James raised an eyebrow, appearing more than a little amused with the slight crook of his grin. Logan's stance threatened to break, uncertainty creeping in as James matched his disposition impeccably. However, this wasn't the first time they'd sparred (obviously), and Logan knew exactly what made James tick. And he knew that James was good at lying, but he wasn't infallible.

"And you were jealous," Logan said, continuing his conversation as though he had never stopped. He walked further into the room, pausing after a few steps. "You were jealous because I wanted _Kendall _and not you, and you hate to lose, don't you, James?"

The vulnerability was returning to James' eyes, and he opened his mouth as though he was going to deny the accusation; it snapped shut just as quickly.

Logan was aware of how challenging his tone was; he sounded so sure of himself, and he knew that James would be unable to argue. He walked further towards him, stopping at the end of the bed.

"And that's why you've been avoided me all week, isn't it? You're not mad because I was fighting with you. That wouldn't make any sense at all...because we fight _all the time_," Logan said, leaning over the edge of the bed toward James, using his hands to brace himself up. "You were avoiding me because of something _else._

"So then I spent the day with Kendall," Logan broke off, chuckling as James dropped all pretenses and actually _growled_ at the name being mentioned. "And he said that he would never date me even _if _he was gay, not that I was ever really interested in him in the first place, apparently."

At that, James blinked, eyes going wide.

"You know why, though? Because—and get this—because _you _love me." As he spoke, Logan crawled closer on the bed, until he was directly in front of James, staring directly into wide eyes.

In a moment, those hazel eyes flashed angrily, every ounce of defiance returning just as quickly as it had left. "What the fu—"

Logan cut him off by roughly grasping his jaw and pulling him closer, pressing their lips together with ruthless force. He moved against him slowly, biting at James' bottom lip and trying to elicit some sort of response because, suddenly, James seemed to be frozen in place. And after a moment, he pulled back slightly, nudging James' cheek with his own in a gesture of affection.

"I win," Logan whispered, his lips right next to James' ear.

As he pulled back, Logan reached into his pocket and pulled out a small white box, taking James' hand and placing it there. It was almost amusing how glazed over James' eyes were, how out of focus he seemed. It took him several long moments before he even realized what had been placed in his hand.

Logan casually left the room, leaving James with a new iPod and a heart that was pounding viciously against his ribcage.

* * *

Music blared from iPod docking station that was carefully placed on the black, wooden shelf beneath the flat screen television. It filled the entire apartment with a noise so unrelenting that it couldn't be escaped—it shook the walls, caused the surrounding shelves to tremble, and dvds to fall from where they were perched on said shelves.

And there James stood, in the middle of the living room, with the remote controller to the iPod clutched carefully within his hand. He grinned crookedly, pointing the remote at the docking station once more, and pressing the button to amp up the volume even further.

He had started out with the volume high enough to be heard down the hallway toward the bedrooms, but low enough that he wouldn't disturb their neighbors. As the minutes passed, he gradually pressed the volume higher and higher, not really bothering to care about anything other than his goal. The bass and treble raised right along with it, until it was positively shaking the entire apartment room, and probably several surrounding rooms, as well.

He pressed the volume button once more, realizing that he'd finally reached the highest possible level. Despite the fact that it seemed to have finally reached maximum capacity, James pushed the button a few more times just to be sure. He frowned when it refused to get louder—maybe he should invest in a newer, more effective docking station.

Just as he was considering hooking the iPod dock up to the the stereo—because, yeah, James was pretty sure that would work quite wonderfully—Kendall slammed through the apartment door. He stood staring at James for a moment, eyes wide and disbelieving as he gasped for breath.

He had been in the lobby. James smiled brightly, realizing that it meant his music could be heard all the way down on the first floor.

"What the hell is _wrong_ with you?" Kendall shouted.

James sighed and turned the volume down just enough so that it wouldn't be blaring all the way down the corridors toward the lobby. Oh, it was still quite obnoxious—definitely loud enough to disturb anyone who might be trying to study in their bedrooms.

"What are you talking about?" James screamed back over the music, acting as though what he was doing was completely and totally normal.

Kendall simply closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath, as though to calm himself. He lifted a hand and gently rubbed at his temple. "James, what in the world...why?" he asked, "just...tell me _why_." He gestured wildly toward the music dock to show what he was referring to, almost falling over as he walked further into the room and stumbled upon nothing but thin air. Pausing for a moment, he took another deep breath.

It was in that exact moment that the reason for why James was blasting his music was revealed.

One of the doors down the hallway slammed open, the sound of the door colliding with the wall just barely heard over the music that was still thrumming through the apartment. A text book flew from the door, slamming against the wall and causing several papers that were hidden within it to fly out and fall to the floor.

Kendall's eyes widened and he took an unconscious step away from James, trying to separate himself what was sure to be a target for destruction. He groaned softly, rubbing at his temple once more. So _that _was why James was blaring music.

Logan stepped out from the bedroom with an expression of pure, unadulterated rage. His eyes were narrowed into a glare, and he almost seemed to be radiating heat and frustration, every muscle coiled and ready to lunge.

"James," he said, his tone drawn out and quiet and dripping venom.

James smiled, impervious to the death glare that was being directed at him. If it were anyone else, they might have felt the pressure of Logan's gaze all the way through to their core. Kendall could actually imagine someone cowering beneath that expression.

Logan took a step closer to James, and Kendall took another step back. He knew when to cut in, and when to let well enough alone.

"Turn it down," Logan said, and Kendall marveled at the way he seemed to whisper and could still be heard over the music.

"What's the matter?" James asked, feigning confusion. "Too loud? Can't concentrate? Hm?"

"Turn it down, James."

"Nope."

"I'm trying to study." Logan took another step closer, his glare darkening.

James sighed and waved his hand dismissively before turning his attention to the docking station once more. Turning it up a little louder wouldn't hurt anyone, he thought.

Kendall cringed and took another step closer to the door, desperately wishing he wouldn't have even come up here in the first place. He had been perfectly content hanging out with Carlos in the lobby when he'd heard the quiet rumble of music coming from upstairs. The glare he received from Bitters had been incentive enough at the time. "Bitters is gonna kill us," he whispered to himself, rubbing at his eyes.

"Turn it _off_," Logan growled, a little louder now.

"_No_," James said. "You study somewhere else."

"Where the fuck else am I suppose to go!"

Kendall knew this wasn't about James wanting to play his music, and honestly, he doubted that Logan cared too much about studying at this point. This was how they played. And, really? Despite how hard he tried, Kendall just couldn't figure either of them out.

"Oh, for the love of—" Logan said. "I'm going to kill you. I'm serious. I'm going to take that iPod right there—yes, that one I _bought_ you three months ago—and shove it down your pretty little throat."

James smirked and raised the remote over his head, knowing what would come next.

Kendall continued stepping backwards, not even aware he was moving until his back was pressed up against the door he just walked through. It wasn't that he was afraid of what Logan would do, because really, he knew that neither of them would ever intentionally hurt one another. Regardless, he didn't want to get caught in the middle. This was their game, not his, and he didn't want anything to do with it.

He found himself vaguely wondering why Logan just didn't go up and grab the iPod off from the dock. He knew that his friend was fast enough, he could probably grab the iPod, run into his room, and lock the door before James was even aware of what was happening. But then Kendall remembered that this wasn't about the iPod or the music or studying at all. It was about _them._ Always about them.

Before he could even blink, Logan lunged forward, practically tackling James backwards onto the orange couch and struggling to reach for the remote. James held the small black device above his head, squirming beneath the other boy to stop him from reaching it.

James laughed easily, not even slightly deterred by the fact that Logan was glaring and scratching at him in attempt to get the remote. They were lying in a slightly awkward position, James' knees bent over the arm rest of the couch, his arms stretched high above his head. Logan's hips were adjacent to James' legs, lower down and making it almost impossible to even consider reaching the remote from where he currently was.

James laughed harder, burying the hand that held the remote beneath one of the couch cushions as though that would help put more distance between it and Logan.

Kendall considered whether or not he would be able to sneak over to the docking station unnoticed and retrieve the still blaring iPod. His apprehension was growing by the minute, and he wasn't quite sure how long it would take before Bitters finally came up there to intervene himself. The idea was almost a bit amusing as he thought about how he could explain the situation. _Well, you see, sir...Logan and James...they've got issues with each other. Not so much that they like to fight, just, they like to push each other into reacting. But don't worry. They love each other. _

Kendall groaned and tried, unsuccessfully, to stifle his chuckles.

Just as he was about to dart across the room, his attention was directed to the two of them fighting on couch. Logan had crawled forward just a bit, his legs now twining with James' and their chests pressed closely together. He was still stretching across James' torso, one hand reaching up for the remote while the other was pressed against the other boy's chest.

And, suddenly, it was silent. James had pressed the 'power' button on the black remote, and allowed it to fall from his grasp onto the floor. He seemed to stop struggling beneath Logan and simply smiled up at him, eyes warm and soft and bright with something that Kendall couldn't quite identify.

It was almost as though Logan immediately understood, and he returned James' smile without even a moment of hesitation. His gaze softened and he stopped trying to crawl up James' torso to reach for the remote, seeming rather content to stay right where he was on top of the other boy.

Kendall sighed softly in relief, his tightly wound up muscles releasing the tension that had been gradually building within them. With out so much as another glance at either James or Logan, he turned around, opened the door he had been pressed against, and exited into the hallway.

James and Logan couldn't have been less aware.

* * *

James awoke abruptly to the crack of thunder outside his bedroom window, white light flashing across his surroundings for only a millisecond before it was dark once more. He could hear the light patter of the rain against the glass window pane, and he sighed soft, burying his head beneath his pillow.

It was cool beneath the pillow, he thought as he opened his eyes and peeked out from beneath the edge of the fabric. A faint light was streaming in through his bedroom window, all though not much considering the clouds that presumably hid the moon from sight.

With another sigh, he pulled the pillow off from his head and crawled out of the bed. Despite the fact that it was 4:15 in the morning, he walked casually over toward the glass window pane, staring out as another flash of lightning lit up his bedroom. He loved storms.

Only a moment later the thunder sounded loudly, slightly shaking the foundation and James couldn't help but grin. He raised a finger to the glass and gently traced a trail of water that was on the opposite side; he liked to pretend that each drop was racing to get to the bottom. It was almost like a game for him and his friends—they liked to bet on which one would win.

He smiled as a specific memory invaded his thoughts.

He was in preschool and the clouds that ominously rolled through the skies, admittedly, scared him quite a bit. As it was, he was terrified about being at a new school with people he'd never met before, so the anxiety was already present. This, however, was making it exponentially worse. James hated storms.

That was before a small boy with big, brown eyes approached him. A smile lit his face as he finally reached James, who was staring out the window of their preschool classroom with a growing sense of dread.

"Hello," the boy said. "Do you like storms, too?"

James frowned. "No."

"Well, why not? My name's Logan, by the way...and this," he raised the teddy bear in his hands with a wide grin, "is Charlie."

"I'm scared of storms," James said, scowling at the window. He wasn't quite sure he liked this boy with his lack of fear and his wide smile and cute teddy bear. James unconsciously tugged at a strand of hair that had fallen in his eyes.

"Charlie's not 'fraid of storms, he says they're fun...wanna hold'im? Might make you feel better," Logan prompted, reaching out and offering James the bear with both hands. "And you never told me what your names was."

James stared at the bear that was being offered to him with a quiet expression on his face. He wasn't used to being approached this way, so...effortlessly. As though they had been friends for a long time.

"I'm James," he finally said, still staring at the teddy bear but making no move to grasp it.

"James," Logan said, looking thoughtful. "Jamie!" And he beamed, eyes sparkling as he flashed another wide smile which revealed a missing tooth off to the side.

"Just James—"

"Do you want to play?" Logan asked, turning his head to the side and completely ignoring James' statement. "Charlie and I will help you forget the storm, okay?"

"But—"

"'Cause that's what mom did when I used to be scared of storms, y'know. We'd play a game 'til it was over, and it wasn't as scary. Let's play blocks, okay?"

With that, he grabbed James' wrist and pulled him toward the blocks.

And James didn't think about the storm at all. Instead, he thought about Logan and how he was probably his new best friend, since James didn't really have any friends in the first place. He didn't even mind so much when Logan kept calling him 'Jamie', because James just figured that Logan did that to everyone's name. Maybe Charlie had been named Charles before Logan found him.

The memory caused warmth to pool beneath James' ribcage as he continued to stare out his bedroom window. It hadn't taken him long to grow attached to the enthusiastic six-year-old with bright, brown eyes and a crooked smile. James figured it couldn't be helped, because Logan had always had a contagious sort of enthusiasm and compassion, even in preschool when James had been just an unsuspecting victim at the time.

It was in that moment that James heard the sound of fabric rustling behind him, and he turned around to find those same brown eyes watching him sleepily.

"What're you doin'?" Logan mumbled as he braced himself up slightly on his elbows. His hair was standing up in odd directions and James couldn't help but smile.

He walked towards the bed once more and crawled in, reveling in the warmth that immediately clung to his skin. "Do you remember, in like...preschool? On the first day of class?"

"What?" Logan asked and watched James with an odd expression. He flipped over onto his stomach and rested his head on his folded hands.

"You know, it was the first day of school and it was storming, remember? And you had," James paused to laugh, "that fucking bear...Charlie? Remember?"

Logan's expression immediately softened and some of the sleep that had been clouding his eyes cleared. "Oh, right. Charlie. And you used to talk to him, ask him if his name was Charles before he met me," Logan laughed. "I never understood that."

"You always called me Jamie!" James accused, still chuckling. "No matter how many times I corrected you, until I finally gave up. I just figured you did that to everyone's names."

Logan shook his head but didn't offer any other response, simply closed his eyes, a soft smile falling across his features.

So James let the conversation taper off as he just watched Logan with something almost like affection flooding through his bloodstream. It was in that moment that the little black thread from so many months ago caught his eye once more. It was longer now, the blanket shredding slightly in the corner, probably from both him and Logan tugging on it.

He grasped it gently where it was attached to the blanket and pulled it right out from the seam. And, yeah, it made ripples in his blanket, and would probably cause it to tear, but James couldn't be bothered by that at the moment.

Without any real thought behind the action, James gently held the tiny thread and tied it around Logan's wrist. It fit perfectly against the palette of pale skin, and James felt exceedingly pleased with himself.

Logan released a soft sigh and lazily opened his eyes to study the thread that was suddenly wrapped around his wrist. James watched as Logan smiled once more, eyes suddenly a little lighter despite the exhaustion that still hid in the shadows of his brown irises.

A flash of lightening lit up the room, but James couldn't have been less aware of anything going on around him. He carefully wrapped his arm around Logan's back, pulling him closer and burying his face into his friend's brunette hair.

It had been five months since this had started and, even still, neither of them quite knew what exactly _this_ was. They had been friends for entirely too long for anything to drastically change, so the shift was barely perceptible at the best of times, so subtle when they were in public that it was almost nonexistent. However, when they were alone, everything would change. Their sharp repertoire would be brought down several notches, exchanged for something more gentle, and the usual fire was replaced by a quiet little flame that added just the perfect amount of warmth. It was something that very few ever witnessed.

James gently brushed his lips against Logan's temple, his lips lingering against the warm skin as he closed his eyes. "Where's Charlie?"

"He's at home in a box labeled 'Jamie and Logie'," Logan whispered in a tone that was so quiet and breathless that, had it not been for the near perfect silence, James might have missed it.

The small smile that settled on James' expression was completely instinctive, and he very gently buried his face further into the brunette hair. He pulled Logan closer, unaware that the other boy had already fallen back asleep, and he found himself thinking about iPods, construction workers, old teddy bears, and little black pieces of thread that fit perfectly around pale wrists.

The red LED numbers on the alarm clock flashed briefly, the minutes passing, and within moments, James was asleep.

* * *

**Author's Note: **I apologize that it took me so long to get this final chapter posted. It took me forever to finish that final scene, because nothing seemed to fit right, and the conclusion just never seemed complete, and then it felt as though I was dragging it on too long...I digress. Essentially, it was a bit more challenging than I had anticipated, and I still don't know if I'm completely satisfied with it. Regardless, I had a lot of fun with this story, and I'm currently planning another story that's slightly similar on the humor aspect but takes an entirely different route. We'll see where that goes, I suppose.

Also, there's a small Supernatural reference hidden within there somewhere, simply because I couldn't help myself. It's the one fandom that truly holds my heart, so I figure it's unavoidable.

Thank you so much to everyone who has read and reviewed this story or added it to their favorites and alerts! I really appreciate all of the feedback and support. :) Also, I would absolutely love to hear what you guys think! Thoughts and opinions, perhaps?


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